Cognitive style is a psychological construct concerning the manner in which individuals differ from one another in intellectual functioning. Researchers in the area have amassed evidence suggesting that cognitive style affects the way students learn, the way teachers teach, and the way students and teachers interact. Focusing on cognitive style and children's learning, this paper (1) provides a brief overview of the field dependence/independence dimension of cognitive style; (2) defines that dimension; (3) describes the most popular instruments used to measure cognitive style; (4) discusses the advantages and disadvantages of cognitive flexibility; (5) identifies the relationship between cognitive style and intellectual functioning, including academic achievement; and (6) describes students' learning styles and teachers' teaching styles. Implications for future research and practice are pointed out. It is concluded that greater attention should be given to learners' cognitive styles in order to better match educational resources and the abilitites of students to make use of those resources. (RH)